Earlier today, Black community leaders from across the state called for the end of the drug war in New Jersey, urging Governor Murphy and Legislative leaders to act now. The group convened via a video press call on Juneteenth, a day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.
“As we commemorate Juneteenth, we remember that freedom for even the most oppressed may be delayed but not denied,” said Dr. Reverend Charles Boyer, Founding Director of Salvation and Social Justice. “Today, we are witnessing the unjust powers of New Jersey’s racist drug war. There are systemic issues with these policies and policing practices that oppress the Black community at alarming and disproportional rates. It is unacceptable that New Jersey arrests Black people for cannabis possession at a rate more than 3 times than that of white people, despite similar use. This is just one fact out of a multitude of inequities. There has been an awakening around the insidious nature of structural racism throughout this country and state. Now, there is a spirit of protest to promote change. Salvation and Social Justice is committed to moving protests to policy changes.”
A recent report from the ACLU indicates that in New Jersey, Black people are 3.45 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than white people, despite similar rates of use. In 2016 alone, New Jersey invested $669.3 million to enforce the drug war, despite the grave racial inequities in fuels.